


Certainty Comes From the Evidence

by violet_storms



Series: sapphic september 2020 [1]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Didn't Know They Were Dating, F/F, Feelings Realization, Roommates, Sapphic September, Team Sassy Science (Hannibal)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:01:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26261572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violet_storms/pseuds/violet_storms
Summary: Beverly Katz and Miriam Lass are definitelynotdating. Right?
Relationships: Beverly Katz/Miriam Lass
Series: sapphic september 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1907998
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	Certainty Comes From the Evidence

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [[Moodboard] Beverly x Miriam Roommates AU](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25765471) by [Moodboards by Isabelle (isabellerecs)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/isabellerecs/pseuds/Moodboards%20by%20Isabelle). 



> Title is a quote of Beverly's from the show! I thought it fit the story. 
> 
> _written for sapphic september 2020, prompt: "sweaters."_

When Miriam Lass slides into the tiny booth across from Jimmy and Brian, she can already tell something is wrong. They're sitting stiffly on the bench, watching her with way too much anticipation, and is that a _tie_ Brian is wearing? Yeah, something's definitely off.

"Hey, guys..." she greets them cautiously. 

"Hi, Miriam," they say in unison, their intonation eerily similar, as though they've rehearsed it. Perplexed, Miriam scans the diner for clues to their strange behavior, but she can't find anything obviously out of place. "Where's Bev?" 

Jimmy clears his throat. "Uh, not sure. She must be running late."

"Oh," says Miriam. "Well, I can text her—"

"No!" says Jimmy immediately. Miriam raises her eyebrows and puts her phone back into her pocket. She leans back against the cushions, eyeing them with suspicion.

"Okay, what's going on?"

"Why would you think anything is going on?" says Brian, crossing his arms. "This is just a normal lunch. With friends. A normal, friendly lunch, the way normal people have." 

"You know I'm an _actual_ FBI agent, right? I can tell when you're lying," says Miriam. She pauses. "Actually, scratch that. _Everyone_ can tell when you're lying, Brian. You're a terrible liar."

Brain deflates. "You don't have to say it like it's such a bad thing."

"Are you going to explain, or do I have to call Beverly?" says Miriam, dangling her phone in front of their faces. "Because I will!"

"No, don't! Just give us one second," says Jimmy, and pulls Brian into a huddle, whispering furtively under his breath. Miriam raps her knuckles on the table loudly until Jimmy turns back to her and takes a deep breath. "Miriam...this is an intervention."

Miriam stares at them. They stare back. 

"I'm not on drugs."

"Not that kind of intervention," says Brian impatiently. "An intervention about your relationship. With Beverly."

Jimmy nods. "The two of you are dating."

For a moment, Miriam can do nothing but blink at them in shock. Then she laughs. "Don't be ridiculous. We're best friends."

"That's true," says Brian. "Also, you're in love with each other."

"What...why... _where_ is this coming from?" Miriam asks, disbelieving. "What reason could you possibly have for thinking—"

 _"I'm glad you asked!"_ says Jimmy loudly, making her jump. "Let me tell you a story."

"I convinced him not to use the PowerPoint—you're welcome," says Brian in a whisper, but Miriam can only stutter incoherently as Jimmy launches into his tirade.

"Ahem. Five years ago. The two of you, after _one_ meeting, decide to move in together while enrolled at the FBI academy."

"She was nice and I really needed a roommate, my standards were low," says Miriam. Jimmy ignores her.

"Two years ago. You got strep throat for a week. Who took care of you that entire time? Who lost sleep because she was so worried about you?"

"Beverly, because she's my _best friend."_

"Last year. You were driving yourself crazy trying to find the Ripper. Who was the only one you'd talk to about the case? Who was the only one who could convince you to calm down? Who got you to stop in the end?"

"Beverly, but—"

"Who have you been with the last five times you've gone out somewhere? No—who have you been with the last _ten_ times?"

"Well...Beverly, but it's not like that—"

"Miriam," interrupts Brian, a pitying look on his face. "Whose sweater are you wearing right now?"

Miriam glances down at herself. After a moment, she lets her head fall into her hands. "Beverly's," she mutters.

"We know she's your best friend," says Brian. "But it's getting really painful watching you two dance around each other like this. You obviously want to be more than friends. So we're intervening and telling you to just _get together already."_

"Can you honestly tell me you don't have any romantic feelings for her?" Jimmy asks. Miriam opens her mouth to respond, but nothing comes out. Jimmy nods sagaciously. "I rest my case. The defense may now present her argument if she has one."

But Miriam can barely hear him. Her mind is playing her a slideshow of all the most important moments from her and Beverly's relationship. The instant click she'd felt when they'd first met. How easy it was to live with her. Helping each other through FBI training, staying up late studying and crying together after particularly hard days. Talking for hours over the phone that time Miriam had to travel for a case. How Beverly had gotten her out of her head when Jack had assigned her to the Chesapeake Ripper.

And more than that, smaller moments—sitting close together on the couch, holding hands when it's cold outside. _But doesn't everyone do that with their best friends?_ Miriam thinks. _No, they don't. They definitely don't._ How has she been so wrong all this time?

"Oh my god," Miriam says quietly. "I'm....in love with Beverly."

"Success," whispers Brian.

On the drive home, Miriam is so wrapped up in her head she almost runs a red light. Twice. Images flash by her in a confused stream—Beverly's laugh, her smirk, her steady hands when holding a gun. Questions are mixed in, too. _Am I sure? Should I say something? What if she doesn't feel the same? What if Jimmy and Brian are wrong? What if I ruin everything?_

_What if we're not supposed to be together?_

Dreamlike, she makes her way up the stairs to their apartment and unlocks the door without having to look at what she's doing. "Hey," Beverly's voice calls from her bedroom. "Did you go out to lunch? Why wasn't I invited?" When Miriam doesn't respond, Bev comes around the corner and raises her eyebrows. "What's up?"  
  
When Miriam makes eye contact with her roommate, any thoughts of keeping her feelings a secret fly right out of her head. She remembers Jimmy and Brian's words when she asked why they'd arranged a lunch with her instead of with Bev. "She reads people too well," Jimmy had said. "You knew something was up when you sat down, but she would've been able to tell from the way we worded the text inviting her here."

"Trust us," Brain had added. "We once tried to plan a surprise birthday party for her. She caught on within the first day."

"Miriam..." Beverly says now. "You okay?" She gives her a critical once-over, and then her face lights up. "Hey, that's my sweater, you thief."

"Oh, sorry," says Miriam, blinking down at it, still half-sure she's dreaming.

"No, it looks really cute on you, actually. You can keep it if you want."

"I love you," says Miriam.

Beverly's mouth falls open in shock, but Miriam can't stop the words from spilling out of her mouth. "I'm so sorry if you don't feel the same way, but I have to tell you, because you're the best person I've ever met, and the smartest, and the funniest, and you make my life so much better. I can't imagine living it without you. I can't imagine anything without you. I just—I love you, so much, and I need you to know that. And I'm sorry for not telling you sooner."

For a few, terrible seconds, there is utter silence, and Miriam is about to shrivel up and die of doubt when Beverly breaks out in a giant smile and says, "Thank _god,"_ and throws her arms around Miriam's neck. 

In the moment that their lips meet, Miriam knows she's never been more certain about anything.


End file.
